Pet Owners

Your article "Some pet owners fight poor treatment by vets" (April 7) is an important reminder that we can never be too careful when entrusting our beloved animal companions to others - even those who are supposed to heal them. Just as parents would never neglect to check a babysitter's references, guardians of animal companions should contact their local Better Business Bureau and state veterinary board to check for complaints before choosing a veterinarian. Always insist upon your right to stay with your animal at all times - if the vet refuses to allow you in the "back room," don't hesitate to take your animal and leave.

Step into Baron's K9 Country Store, and the official “greeters,” Louie and Drake, will welcome you. The two dogs are successors to Baron, the departed golden retriever once owned by proprietors Stacy Martin-Duffy and John Duffy. Located between the Hickory Bypass and Route 23, Baron's K9 Country Store is off the beaten path but well worth the trip. The all-natural pet products store evolved from Martin-Duffy's pet-sitting service and her interest in holistic health. “I would see an issue with a client's dog or cat, and I'd refer them to places on the Internet for products.

Maureen Royer leaves her 13-year-old dog, Rubie, at home while she works every day, but she doesn't worry that the dog walker won't show up. Royer gets an email every time Rubie's dog walker arrives that tells her not only when the visit started, but the route the Boston terrier/pug mix will take for her stroll, how long the dog was out and when she returns home. "I know my dog is safe," Royer says. And that has made her trust Ashley Woodall, owner of See Spot Walk, even more than she did when they first started working together about a month ago. Woodall, whose business is based in Baltimore, uses an app called Pet Check to let her clients know when and where their dogs are walked.

Maureen Royer leaves her 13-year-old dog, Rubie, at home while she works every day, but she doesn't worry that the dog walker won't show up. Royer gets an email every time Rubie's dog walker arrives that tells her not only when the visit started, but the route the Boston terrier/pug mix will take for her stroll, how long the dog was out and when she returns home. "I know my dog is safe," Royer says. And that has made her trust Ashley Woodall, owner of See Spot Walk, even more than she did when they first started working together about a month ago. Woodall, whose business is based in Baltimore, uses an app called Pet Check to let her clients know when and where their dogs are walked.

When William Gunn sought medical care for his pit bull-Labrador retriever mix Smokey on a Sunday morning, one of her front paws was bleeding uncontrollably. The family's regular veterinarian was closed that day, and he didn't know where else to go, so he paged through the phone book and wound up at the Catonsville practice of Badr Oweis. Gunn, a city wastewater supervisor who lives in Poppleton, told the vet that he had been walking Smokey when she cut the paw, probably on glass.

Leonard Zandel trudged through the 2-foot-high grass at Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park in Elkridge, looking for the graves of the pets that he and his wife began burying there 20 years ago. He knows his four-footed friends - three dogs, a turtle and a cat - are laid to rest by a tree on the property. But the grass and leaves have taken over, showing no sign of the grave markers. "I've never seen it like this before," said Zandel, who is among a number of pet owners disgruntled to learn that the cemetery has closed without notice.

For eight months, the Carroll County Humane Society reached out to bereaved pet owners, offering a group program to help them cope with their loss.At first, a few came. When no one appeared at the twice-monthly meetings during the winter, society Director Carolyn "Nicky" Ratliff blamed the weather. But attendance didn't pick up this spring, although Ms. Ratliff said she continued to receive calls from people who faced a difficult decision to euthanize a pet or were mourning an animal that died.

We hate them. Our pets hate them. In fact, some animals literally go bald trying to scratch the disgusting little creatures away. And, as menacing as Jason but multiplied a million times, they're baaaa-aaaack. Fleas just love this hot humid weather.The bad news: Fleas want your pet's blood and they want it bad. And these irritating insects reproduce like crazy. After every feast on your pet's blood, a female flea lays four to eight eggs, says Dr. Richard Kramer, an entomologist with the National Pest Control Association.

By Brent Jones and Brent Jones,brent.jones@baltsun.com | March 20, 2009

Animal control officers and police patrolled the park at Mount Vernon Square this week, responding to complaints from residents who say some dog owners allow their pets to run wild and destroy flower beds. It was the third time in 10 days that animal control officers visited the park and cited dog owners who either did not have their animals on a leash or failed to clean up after them. Police assisted in the latest call because animal control officers do not have the power to detain, and many pet owners left the area during the first two raids, according to Bob Anderson, director of animal control for Baltimore City.

Even Candi Nilsson, an avid animal lover, was skeptical a first. A pet bereavement support group?Although she had mourned her share of beloved pets, Ms. Nilsson, director of humane education at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Annapolis, had trouble picturing people sitting in a circle sharing their grief over departed schnauzers.But she wasn't about to dismiss the idea, either. After all, the SPCA had been getting calls for years from veterinarians seeking help for clients who had slipped into depression after a pet died or was euthanized.

People are passionate about pet breeds. While an increasing number of animal lovers list "rescue" as their favorite breed (and go, you!), many stick with the breed they grew up with or carefully researched before adding a furry friend to the family. Pets Best Insurance Service, LLC, recently released its list of the most popular breeds for 2013. While there aren't any big surprises on this year's list as compared to last year, Pets Best did identify several new trends: - The French bulldog, buoyed by more appearances in commercials and on television, rocketed up the list, from position 55 in 2006 to ranking 19 this year.

The Senate on Friday unanimously approved a bill to hold dog owners liable if their pet bites someone, unless they can prove they did not know it could happen. The bill, which now goes to the House, would place a "rebuttable presumption" on pet owners that they knew or should have known their dog could bite. Owners could avoid liability if they can convince a jury their animal had never bitten anyone before or shown any other vicious tendencies. The measure seeks to deal with a 2012 ruling by the Court of Appeals finding pit bulls "inherently dangerous" and holding their owners to stricter liability than those with pets of other breeds. The bill the Senate passed treats all breeds the same. Its passage could end a two-year deadlock with the House of Delegates over the issue, as lawmakers differed over where to draw the line in placing responsibility for bites on pet owners and landlords. The Senate previously had insisted on holding pet owners strictly liable for any bite, while the House had held out for something similar to what the Senate approved.

Jean-Pierre, a Maine coon cat, had a whirlwind of a December, but has, to say the least, landed on his feet. That's thanks to Robin McDonald, owner of the Howl natural pet food and supply store in Hampden, who's become something of a guardian angel to area pets in need. Left on the front porch of Howl in a carrier with a note, Jean-Pierre was found by an UPS driver who alerted McDonald about the involuntary visitor. McDonald took the feline inside, ferried him to a veterinarian for a once-over and flea treatment, and posted his photo on Facebook.

Lawmakers arrive back in Annapolis this week to a major piece of unfinished business: passing a dog bite liability bill to address the unintended consequences of the Maryland Court of Appeals' ruling in which pit bull-type dogs were deemed inherently dangerous. The Maryland General Assembly, which last year failed to pass compromise legislation to address the issue, will have another chance to bring certainty and protection to dog bite victims and dog owners. The court's unprecedented decision holds owners of pit bull type dogs, landlords and anyone else with the right to control the dog's presence on their property strictly liable for incidents involving the dog. This has resulted in paralyzing uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of dog owners in the state (nearly one-third of Maryland households include at least one dog)

The UPS driver looked a little befuddled when he walked into Howl on Chestnut Ave., in Baltimore yesterday afternoon. “There's a cat out here in a carrier,” he told Robin McDonald, owner of the natural pet-supply store. She followed him outside and lo and behold, there sat what appeared to be a Maine Coon mix in a carrier with a note: “Very nice cat. Please help! Jean-Pierre is his name.” He looked skinny and scruffy and his hair was sparse, but McDonald brought Jean-Pierre into the shop and opened the carrier door.

The federal Food and Drug Administration today released an update on its investigation into jerky pet treats: As of Sept. 24, the agency says, more than 3,600 pets have become ill and 580 have died after eating the snacks. In a fact sheet, the FDA says the treats in question are sold as jerky tenders or strips, and list chicken, duck, sweet potato, dried fruit, and combinations of those foods in their ingredient lists. Extensive testing has been conducted to find the source of the illnesses and deaths, but to date, no definitive cause has been identified.

Owners and breeders of dogs and cats spoke out yesterday before a City Council committee against a proposal to require microchip implants in the animals and increase licensing fees - with a greater burden on owners who do not spay or neuter their pets. The proposals, included in an amendment to a bill narrowly defeated by the City Council in May, would require every cat and dog in the city to have an implanted microchip that identifies ownership and health information. "The microchip allows us to quickly remove dangerous animals," Dr. Peter L. Beilenson, city health commissioner, told the council's Housing, Health and Environment Committee.

SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASH! Licenses could be required for felines in Howard County under a well-intended bill that aims to wipe out feral feline colonies, prevent the spread of rabies and save the county a big chunk in euthanasia costs.It would be a terrific idea -- if it could work. But Sylvester will catch Tweety Bird before this law accomplishes its stated purposes.Democratic County Councilwoman Mary Lorsung and Republican Darrel Drown have joined forces to spare cats as well as the county government's kitty.

The old adage is that the happiest time of the year for moms and dads is the day the yellow bus takes their darlings off for their first day of school. It's not altogether true in my house (which felt too quiet by mid-morning yesterday), though I'll admit not missing my kids' bickering very much. For her part, the Labrigator watched her little humans scamper off to school the last two mornings and retired upstairs for long naps, seemingly undisturbed by their absence. But for many pets, back to school is a sad time, and they're lost without their school-age companions -- especially if all the adults are also gone all day. The experts at Pets360 say their recent survey found that 20 percent of pet owners with school-age children said their pets showed signs of anxiety or depression when everyone in the house went back to their normal routine at the end of the summer.

Have you scooped some poop today? State officials are encouraging people to do it "every stinkin' time. " It's not exactly dinner-table conversation, but the Maryland Department of the Environment says that up to 40 percent of American pet owners don't clean up after their animals. And besides being rude and disgusting, that harms the Chesapeake Bay. Dog waste, the department says, makes up 24 percent of the bacteria that pollutes urban and suburban waterways (anyone for a swim?